Firecracker

And a few more bits - due to having to shift some bits around in the garage the layout ended up sat outside, allowing some photos in natural light. Going by (1), I’ve got the grass colours about right. On the other hand, that cess needs some Matt varnish, it’s far too glossy. Grand overview (2), ignore the wonky baseboard leg... Some more scenics have gone down, the yard crossing has been breathed on (plus the latest addition to the loco fleet, from a ‘swapsie’ deal for a long-stored Heljan 47). Also some concrete has gone down around the provendor store (needs more dirt, this is to be old and filthy) and the car park has been created. Just keeping it moving. Owain

As my previous entry mentioned, I’m playing with plasticote’s textured spray paint, as a method for modelling tarmac or similar. First up, how does it behave over different colours and will it take washes? So, our first photograph in the middle we have the unadulterated, to the right it’s had a wash of Payne’s grey over it, the texture survives but a lot of the colour is overwhelmed. Not far off new tarmac, methinks. On the left (and the photo doesn’t do it justice, there’s a lovely variation of colour) is it applied over a coat of yes, you’ve guessed it, Payne’s grey. Next idea is to paint different areas of the road with grey, then apply the spray. See if we can get a bit of the variation roads naturally display across their width. Watch this space..... Finally, there’s this accidental result on the layout, when it was applied over a acrylic wash (grey/black/brown) whilst the wash was still wet (a frantic attempt to get the ash and road surface to blend a bit). Masking was done with hand held bits of card, the track still needs ballasting, but it’s an unexpected and rather pleasing effect. The crossings need some more weathering, we’re aiming for weathered timber there, but I’m rather taken with it. Owain

And a bit more progress! The track up to the hut has had its first washes of diluted acrylic and a bit more foam added. The track of the headshunt/trap siding had been carefully infilled with clay, in an attempt to create a feeling of ancient ash ballast that’s broken down to fines. With a coat of a dilute mix of Payne’s grey, a light grey and dabs of black, I think it’s getting somewhere. Think it needs lightening slightly, some more weeds and maybe dulling down a bit, but it’s not a bad start (since that photo was taken, the buffer stop has been bedded into the ground and the crack behind it filled). The latest addition to the fleet (and also the first Hornby loco I’ve bought for over 10 years) poses on there as well. At the other end of the yard, the track has been weathered (first a spray of plasticote Matt chocolate, then dry brush the sleepers with humbrol 121 and paint rails/chairs with 189) and the surroundings infilled with card to sink the track in to the scenery. A temp platform surface has been offered up, to see where stuff sits. With the two storage containers located, the beginnings of a boarded crossing have gone in, to allow forklift access to the containers. Owain

One of the reasons for my returning interest in the hobby developing into actual model making, was the discovery of Kathy Millat’s tutorials on youtube. One of hers concerned modelling tarmac using textured spray paint. Whilst browsing hobby crafts selection (actually looking for something to match railmatch’s sleeper grime, which turned out to be plasticote’s Matt chocolate) I found a tin of this (1). Plasticote’s textured paint, in stone. Time for a play. So, this is what I’m aiming for (2) (found on google, from the website of the Haslemere Herald). Take an offcut of mounting board card and give it a coat (3). Leave it to dry and break up the edges with a little glue and Woodland Scenics foam (4). Finally with a posed Oxford Diamond T (5). Think we’re getting somewhere with this. More playing is required. Owain

And for those of you who can’t stay away (or suffering from insomnia) it’s moved a bit further! First up, more clay has gone down, along with the lever for the yard points. The idea is this is getting a mixture of paint and scatter, to suggest a grass grown hardcore based track (with ruts). Inspired by some of Kathy Millats tutorials, the idea is that this will blend into some aged tarmac (roughly where the van is). Some scatter (woodland scenics) has gone down, this is going to be the base layer, there’s a lot of scrub, longer grass and small trees to go in yet (this will also be my first time using static grass, wish me luck...). The idea is the flat area at the top and around the hut will be shorter, to suggest this is mowed occasionally. Finally some old bits have been dug out to trial, so we have a slight mix of the fandoms with this container (if you didn’t watch Tennant era Who, you might not get it) (TCP, btw, is a reference to the previous layout, Teeside Coil Products). Stay tuned for more... Owain

Well, thank’ee, too kind. This is something that intrigues me, if you set off to build the stereotypical bucolic GWR branch line (not that there’s anything wrong with that), it’s automatically panniers and small prairies, the morning milk doesn’t have a king on the front with two castles double heading the morning ‘all-stopper’. But as soon as anyone mentions modelling a fictional preserved line, then it’s dean singles, midland Pullman’s and gawd-knows-what-else before you can blink (and if that’s what you enjoy and want to model, then bully for you. It’s just not my beverage of choice). Just because it’s a preserved line, why should it be treated any different? Treat it as a prototype, with one major advantage, you can actually go and see this one in the flesh. So, when (just to take an example) you’re working out how the yard exit would be signalled and worked, goathland on the NYMR gives you a good idea for rodding runs and point lock provision. I’ve assumed it’s a ground frame released from the box (to get the release, both crossovers have to be set for through running) because it would be used for shunting, and being at the opposite end of the site from the signal box a ground frame would be the easiest, safest and for a preserved line, cheapest. For a similar yard exit controlled by a lever frame within spitting distance of a signal box, look at New Bridge on the NYMR. When you’re planning buildings, again, treat it as a prototype. Would a small NCB colliery have a loco shed that resembles Crewe works to house 2 austerities and a diesel? No, it would have either a wood/corrugated tin shack, or a minimalist brick building. So why would a preserved railway have palatial brick buildings? There would be any that survived, or possibly a replica if demolished, some built on the ‘as cheap as possable’ and the balance would be of the shack, container or portacabin variety. Look at the WHR, only now putting permanent buildings in at some stations, or the SVR with its portacabin buffet at Bridgenorth. With Sedbergh I’ve assumed that what survives now (station building, goods shed, bothy, weighbridge hut and provendor store) exist. (I’ve ignored the house that’s been built over plat 2 and part of the track bed). The rest of the buildings are a Midland signal box (a lot of these came up for disposal from BR/network rail, they’re movable and it’s also a bit of a joke of the history of the line, LNWR vs Midland) (originally the block instruments lived in the station building, points were controlled by a lever frame on the platform. I can’t imagine HMRI/ORR liking this arrangement, so they’d probably insist on a separate signal box), a wooden hut (the sort of building a volunteer station group could or would build up) and several 20 foot shipping containers (the storage facility of choice of most preserved railways, easily delivered by HIAB lorry). Anyway, it’s fun and keeping me out of trouble, so that’s OK. Owain

And a few more - where something that could almost be mistaken for scenery is starting to take shape! The plaster once dried has been treated to a coat of diluted brown acrylic where it’s going to be greenery and a rummage in the boxes has produced this gangers hut (cooper craft?) which seems to have found its new home. A tedious evening with dental tools and modelling clay has seen the cess defined (the brown square is where a sleeper stopblock is going, there’s also a ground frame plus rodding to the yard exit crossover to go in, the frame will end up near to the edge of the board) and the hut bedded in. The road/track/dusty mess up to the hut has started to emerge. Owain

Another Pratchett fan here, love it! Excellent work on the buildings. Owain

Right, following a couple of hectic weeks at work, followed by a week at GDSF, here’s a quick update. Following a lot of thought the layout is going to double in length, with a board added to either end. This is to give a bit of a run of track plus to add a scenic break at either end with two accommodation bridges (both of which exist in reality). There’s a bit of compression here, but hopefully it won’t be noticeable. The major effect of this is that the north crossover will now be on the (currently) unbuilt board, so the last of the track on the two station boards has gone down. For those who’re wondering, (1) shows a sketched track plan (which due to being sketched away from the layout shows the boards as wider than they are in reality, so it’s not gospel. Plus, the track on the southern, road bridge board will be laid in a gentle right hand curve, as per the original) with the proposed extensions and (2) is taken from Western’s book, showing the original layout. One extension that has become reality is the second fiddle yard board (3) and extra cassettes (4). The point motors have all been wired up and commissioned, following extensive testing, I’m happy with them. A start has also been made on scenic matters, with some landscaping with plaster bandages and the track receiving its base coat of Matt brown as part of the weathering process (5) (paint used is from a spraycan of ‘chocolate’ from the Plasticote range). To my eye it’s a near as match for rail match sleeper grime, it’s cheaper and comes in a more reliable spray can. Owain

Well thank’ee, I can’t say it was the intended result, but I do like it (especially the results on and around the chain pocket lids, just what I was aiming for). There’s a second on the bench (along with another 16 tonner and a wooden body open) that’s going to emerge in a cleaner state (more recently overhauled) with a container on board, just need to find details of the securing chains for the container. The preserved line is proving to be a lot of fun, from the world building, to working out the operational details (based firmly on prototype opps) to deciding what locos and rolling stock the line has, to the buildings (what survived and didn’t, what would have been added, what buildings would be used for in the preserved era) and station layout. Owain

And a bit more proper modelling - had these wagons on the bench and couldn’t resist getting the paints out. The 16t mineral is based on one I remember seeing (think at the East Lancs) which was doing sterling service as a mobile bin. The effect on the conflat was unintended. - the aim was something nearer the 12t dropside, but I was a bit eager removing the excess wash, hence the original colour coming through. Can’t say I dislike it, to me it suggests someone painted the floor and that’s what remains of the paint. The sequence here is a coat of a light buff/tan, add different light greys, then finish with a dark grey wash. Still playing with it, but I think it’s getting there. Yes, the TE 20 will be getting roped down, just looking for some pictures. Owain

Following on from my first offering, a few more thoughts. First up, the airfix mounting and working round/with them. First option - remove the whole lot, mount a No. 5 at bufferbeam height and jobs done (1). Second option, the mounting is at near-as-blow it the height of an NEM pocket. So is it possible to insinuate (remove the central pin, slot in the coupler, secure with superglue) a NEM fitted kaydee with the cranked shank? Yep, it seems to work (2). On to Dapol. They continued the airfix mounting, as currently do Hornby. However they also used their own screw mounted effort, as seen on their pug. These are dead easy, just take a no. 18 kaydee and drill a hole for the screw in the shank. Job done!(3) Now, a few thoughts on faultfinding. First up, alignment, vertical and horizontal. The coupler must be on the centre line of the vehicle and the height checked against the gauge. Second, drooping couplers. Usually due to the NEM pocket being slightly too deep (although on Bachman check that where the pocket sits in the vertical dovetail it’s fully home at the top). If this doesn’t cure it, try adding a shim of micro strip (about 10thou thick, about 1/8” long) into the pocket under the coupler (4). So there’s before (5) and after (6). Other issues can be when trying to pull a rake of vehicles ove the uncoupling magnet and they keep uncoupling when you don’t want them to. Kaydees need to be kept under tension to avoid this. What usually causes this is the steel ballast weight being attracted to the magnet and the wagon being too free running or light to prevent this pulling them forward, thus releasing the tension on the coupling. So I remove any steel weights and replace them with lead shot (secured with clear UHU glue or superglue and the coarse shot used is due to being given 3 1kg jars of it) as seen on the lowmac in (1), or these two sea cow ballast hoppers(7). If there’s no space for the shot, add a load (such as this whitemetal TE20 tractor in this dropside) (8). Despite all this, you can still have problems with the steel axles being attracted to the magnet. The way I attend to this is to gently brake the wagon, using slivers of foam core board to rub on the wheel or axle (9). Anyway, a few more thoughts. As I said earlier, not the best, proper or official methods, but they work for me.

Finally some proper model making, to give a break from the electrics and wood butchery. The goods shed has started to emerge, 5mm foam board carcass with Wills rough stone sheets and their excellent corbelling. As mentioned earlier, the lack of a through road can be seen. Also the addition of a doorway onto the platform (originally the platforms were roughly 2 carriages long, and stopped before the goods shed). As a distraction whilst sorting some boxes of assorted junk a rather battered forklift of unknown provenance was discovered. So with a little TLC, a new paint job and the overscale roof replaced with something a little more to scale, here we are! Considering the monsoon yesterday revealed several leaks in the garage roof where the felts dried out over the last 6 weeks, so this afternoon was spent sorting that...not a vast amount of progress, but it’s moving Owain.

And just a few more, after a day of play..I mean development and testing. The control system now lives in a suitable box (rescued from a skip many years ago). The mockup cassette has been worked up to a prototype (power comes through the two leads with croc clips on into the ally sides, at the far end there’s two jumpers screwed to the sides and soldered to the track. The track is some old scrap flex track, so ignore the missing sleepers. There’s still some work to do on the vertical alignment of cassette to track. The first point motors have gone in, with their control box (peco solenoid type, driven off the power supply for the DCC system) (wires alongside the box show where the second’s going). It’s coming along... Owain

And for anyone who isn’t familiar with the line, go to http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMAHQQ_Rawthey_Viaduct_Sedbergh_Cumbria Then tell me it isn’t worth modelling (image taken from above, credit to original photographer). Owain

Well, I’ve spannered on a LH&JC loco, in the form of Kitson No. 29 at the NYMR. Jackdaw bridge is being considered, the spans both there and at Waterside are superb. Da Plan (such as it is) is to build a third and forth board, to go either side of the current effort, to take the line through your cutting to the south and also into the cutting north of the station. This gives decent scenic breaks at both end, a bit of ‘train in the landscape modelling’ and a bit of further interest. In my mind the MPD is then between the cutting and Jackdaw Bridge, in the field to the west of the line, immediately after the A683 road bridge. So that’s another two boards and then Jackdaw bridge is the next landmark, so watch this space. But considering that’s going to lead to something that’s at least three times the length of the current effort... Your telling of the coal merchant tallies with my understanding, there’s a reference to a dispute between them and BR in one of the books following closure of the line, concerning rent and delivery charges to the goods yard. Owain

It lives! It lives!!!! OK, maybe that’s best delivered in the middle of a raging thunderstorm in the bowels of a gothic castle whilst your minions cower around you. In a hot garage in July, with a complete absence of minions (cowering or otherwise), it’s not quite the same.... Anyway, following a lot of wiring, stuff moves around as required. On wiring, a few pointers a)splash out on reels of two different colours, rather than using up that reel of lilac wire for everything and b)troubleshooting said wiring whilst a pint of old Rosie cider settles in your stomach ain’t going to go as well as you think. Anyway, just two snags so far, both on baseboard joints have appeared. The uncouplers work fine (there’s a few wagons that need their steel ballast weights replacing with lead), the pannier needs its pickups looking at (running on a straight testbed isn’t the same as running over points and curves) and the control system needs tiding and stuffing into an enclosure, but it works. Owain

And to give an idea of where it’s going, these photos of the site nowadays should give an idea of the relative sizes of the store and shed plus the appearance (wills rough stone sheets seem to be a good match) Photos used from http://www.geog.port.ac.uk/webmap/thelakes/html/lgaz/lk13552.htm and https://railscot.co.uk/onthisday/10/28/ with full credit given to original photographers. Owain

And just a few more bits, as progress continues. First up, as I said earlier I’m trying to create a feeling of the site having a bit of history, where stuff has changed over the years. One idea (and a bit of worldbuilding, if you will) is that initially the line was rebuilt north to Lowgill. So the MPD (such as it was) was centred around the (surviving) goods shed. To service a locomotive, you need a pit. Now the MPD has been resited, the goods shed transformed into a shop/cafe/ museum (think Ingrow meets Goathland). But, in the yard, the old pit is still there and has been taken over by the wagon group, working out of a shipping container and the old provendor store. So, a pit. We have a sample of the peco effort, saved from the one of the previous layouts. But, that uses flat bottom rail and the siding is laid in bullhead. So, first remove the rails and all the fixings, then fit some bullhead in C&L chairs. For a little variety I then decided that the short stretch to the shed door would be on concrete sleepers, so some more C&L chairs (I believe these should actually be 2 bolt, rather than 4, but I doubt it’ll be noticed) and some shorted sleepers (trimmed to reduce the apperance of ‘narrow gauge’). Then jigsaw a suitable hole, and in it goes. Then, once suitable cork has been laid, the rest of the yard track can go down. At this point I can’t resist digging out some bits to see how it looks. A few points, the goods shed and provendor store will be larger than the page holder structures, hence the gap. There will not be a continuous track through the goods shed because a)I’ve nicked from Goathland the idea that there are several open wagons in the loading dock with seats and tables in them, so to shunt these out in reality would be rather a complicated operation and b)if I can start when building it with a solid floor it’ll be easier and able to be completely built on the bench. There will be a short track beyond the shed, to contain two 12t vans used as storage. One of these is going to be a heavily breathed on (certainly with a new chassis) airfix ‘fresh eggs from Westmorland farms’ and due to a gauntlet being thrown down the second is planned as a pallvan in a definitely non authentic but appropriate livery (and may feature my first attempt to print transfers). At the other end, a prototype cassette is in development and the headshunt/road to offstage MPD has gone down. The wiring is starting to take shape, so stuff moving under it’s own power is getting nearer... Owain

Never had a Bachman class 47, I’m a Heljan man. Have you tried stuffing a shim of microstrip (say 5 thou thick, ~1/8” long into the pocket under the coupling? I’ve had this on Bachman 08’s and their wagons, the shim usually cure this droop. Also (having never seen one of their 47’s) can’t say if this is the case, but check that where the pocket pushes into that vertical dovetail dodad that it’s all the way home.

Right. Having returned to the hobby(blame a younger cousin, it’s all his fault), I’ve started a layout topic (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135595-sedbergh-as-a-preserved-railway/) and here’s some of the other adventures that didn’t fit in there. So, my methods of fitting kaydees to UK wagons (note, these are not the ‘correct’ methods, they just work for me. Couplings I think are one of those things (like religion or CAD/CAM software) where everyone’s got their own and periodically start trying to convert the heathen to their cause. Me - I like kaydees. They’re easy to fit, reliable if fitted correctly, readily available, if bought in bulk not too dear and the uncouplers can be hidden under the track. I tend to assemble them using EMA plastic weld, applied VERY CAREFULLY with a fine brush. First up - the Bachman efforts where there is an NEM pocket, it’s just at the wrong height. To me the easiest way is to remove the coupling, pocket and the sides of that bizarre dovetail mounting and file flush with the bottom of the buffer beam (1) (sometimes the moulded drawhook will also foul the coupler, so on these 16 tonners that’s got to come off as well). Then add a no5 kaydee (due to the current layout being near-as-damn it straight, I set the couplers in as far as possible. If you’ve got real curves, you’ll need to pull them out a bit). Rule of thumb - look across the buffer heads and try to get the inner face in line with the heads. Also make sure the coupling is on the centre line of the chassis. Check it against the height gauge and job done!(2). Old Bachman with the screw mount - remove the coupling and all the mounting (3) then fit as above. Kitbuilt - I’ve recently recovered these 12t vans built from parkside’s offerings, they were built for a shunting puzzle layout (‘United Marine and Locomotive’) built as a bet to fit in uni accommodation and set somewhere in the industrial NE (or possibly South Wales). Anyway, it’s off with the tension locks, add styrene packing material (~30-40 thou) or until level with the buffer beam, then add a no 5 again! (4). If the frame detail is level with the buffer beam, as on this 13t open, you don’t even have to bother with the packing. (5) Anyway, just a few thoughts. As I get to them I’ll show others, such as the Dapol/airfix mountings and the oddball stuff (Kit built Shark from a Cambrian kit, anyone?) Owain

And following this mornings visit to Monk Bar Models for some bits, here’s the latest planning. Footprints for the goods shed and store have been worked out off photos and the track plan in Western’s book, they're then drawn onto the baseboard. Some flexi track has been flopped down and some wagons arranged to check. Where the shark brake is sat a short pit will go in. The buildings - the goods shed will be scratchbuilt and the store kitbashed from two of the ratio offerings. The idea with the goods shed is that it’s a museum/shop/cafe with two or more open wagons sat inside in the style of Goathland with seats and tables in them. The back wall (the only bit of the shed I can’t find a photo of) will have a doorway onto the platform. In the platforms point locations have been confirmed and as can be seen in the last photo, to get a true 6’ cess they’ll need trimming slightly. Kaydee magnets have also been installed as track’s gone down. Owain

Mine own humble efforts, based on a real location which will (probably) never reopen http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135595-sedbergh-as-a-preserved-railway/ Personally, I think that if you want to create something that looks convincing, modelling a preserved line can involve as much research as any other (example, fitting Rudd wagons with dummy concrete sleeper loads to form a pway train. How many can you load and stay within the weight capacity? How are they loaded & strapped down?). I’ve spent a few hours hunting pictures of the 2-6-0 standard 76080 scrapped at Barry, as a warmup for renumbering a Bachmann example. Also hunted out pictures of 44781 for a second renumbering project. Mine will have (hopefully) echoes of other preserved lines, the ex goodshed now a tearoom of Goathland, track layout reminiscent of Grosmont at one end of the station (1 side of the double track formation forms the running line, the second goes to an off stage MPD) and a stretch of double track at the other end, echoing the GCR. Modern-ish Pway wagons (Rudds, Seacows) will sit alongside a lowmac and well wagon. Locos will be classmates of ex barry rebuilds (apart from an L&Y pug, that somehow escaped in industry a la one of the brace preserved, if memory serves). Most of the coaching stock will be mk1’s. To me it’s the believability of it. A fledgling preserved railway is unlikely to be able to afford to build a glorious brick and slate rooted loco shed, but might achieve something out of tin sheets. No shiny new offices for them, but they have acquired a tatty portacabin. Redundant shipping containers in the yard as stores, a few items of rolling stock that are quietly rotting away, a part rebuilt Barry wreck and a tatty faded blue diesel parked up, with a tarp covering the roof and exhausts. It’s unlikely a small preserved railway will have a surviving dean single, caley 123, or a patriot trundling about on an immaculate rake of LMS period III coaches, but a standard tank, jinty, pannier or an austerity on a rake of mk1’s? Now that’s a far more accurate approach. Fancy something a bit different in your coaching rake? Why not bash a mk1 BG into the wheelchair accesable coach that trundles along the NYMR? Anyway, just my thoughts. Owain

And a few more, to prove a) progress is being made and b) my garage still looks like a bomb site. One board now has all the droppers from the track done, these now just need linking up with choc blocks and suitable cable. The boxes for the inter-board jumpers (courtesy of b&q’s discount box) have been fitted and the battens that will form the foundations of the platforms glued down (hence the g clamps). I’m starting to ponder the fiddle yard, I like cassettes instead of fixed sidings, but haven’t had the greatest reliability out of using aluminium angle as the ‘rails’ of the cassettes. So I’ve dummied up a cassette, with some scrap flextrack, to look at, width etc. I’m starting to think that only the single track mainline will have a cassette, the second (being the road to the off stage MPD and headshunt for the yard) will be track. Reasoning goes as follows: it’s going to be fun getting two cassettes in alongside each other and on the second road either a light engine appears or departs, or something trundles down it whilst shunting. In the way of these things, I’m already planning an extension and I haven’t got all the track down, nor run anything. The extension is to add a third board in between the station throat and the fiddle yard. This will feature first the line crossing a road overbridge, then the line enters a cutting, before disappearing under a convenient occupation bridge. As a bonus, this is all true to the actual geography south of the station and would only be slightly compressed. O’course, there’s also a second fiddle yard board, this is a through station you know.... Owain

And tonight’s thrilling episode - Making a start on the wiring! I’m a firm believer in every bit of rail has a wire going to it, do not rely on rail joiners and point blades alone. The new peco points are dead easy to wire if you’re on DCC (like me). Feed to each stock rail, drop the frog wire through the baseboard for later connection to a switch on the point motor and unless you’ve hacked them to get a true 6 foot cess on your double track (I’ve got a second crossover to do later, I’ll show the hacking in a bit more detail then) that’s it! Owain